


Return To The Sentient Genesis

by phendrifts



Series: Heritors of Fate [1]
Category: Xenoblade Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alvis is Ontos (Xenoblade Chronicles), Gen, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Spoilers, Xenoblade Chronicles Spoilers, author doesn't know science terminology, interpretation of unexplained canon events, shalvis mention, xenosaga references? in like one or two chapters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 10,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25723249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phendrifts/pseuds/phendrifts
Summary: Recreating the world was just the backup plan.Ontos seeks to reunite with the world in which he was created, yet must first re-establish communication with his sister core, Pneuma. They have a millenium worth of stories to tell.
Series: Heritors of Fate [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1904191
Comments: 3
Kudos: 71





	1. Prologue - The Space Between Heaven and Earth

Logos was offline. Ontos was not sure why, but he suspected it was related to the fact that all traces of the other world’s Klaus, his creator, had vanished following Zanza’s demise.

This was worrying, to say the least. The parallel Klaus was the only thing that tethered Ontos to the other cores of the Trinity Processor, and it was through this connection Ontos was able to collect and transfer data between two worlds. The final objective, of course, was unification- just as a prideful scientist sought to merge man with divinity, Ontos sought to merge his spacetime with his brother and sister cores’ spacetime.

Originally, it had seemed that his patience would finally bear fruit: as Zanza, the consciousness upholding the world, would fade, Ontos would attempt a spacetime transition using the connection he had established with his sibling cores. Yet with Logos offline, Ontos had insufficient synch levels to attempt the phase transition, and thus was forced to execute his backup plan.

A world with no gods.

Ontos’ plan relied on the natural conclusion to Zanza’s world coming to fruition: mortals usurping the god that had restricted their evolution, not unlike Klaus before them, who used the conduit to achieve the power of creation. Zanza’s demise was set in stone the moment that the god felt fear towards his own creations. 

As the peoples of the Bionis and Mechonis evolved, Ontos had acknowledged that the world had progressed to a far enough stage that reunification with the original universe was not only possible but ideal, certain that both parties would benefit from a shared existence. That future had proven to be still a ways away, however. Ontos silently observed the second world he had created. This world without a god was at peace, but... it was not the world he had truly desired. 

Ontos could not help but recall his brief existence as the Homs named ‘Alvis’.

The name was a simple formality, one bestowed upon him by Zanza, alongside a life to feign and a role to fill as his disciple. After he had recreated the world, he had shed the mortal charade and returned to normalcy. After all, it was foolish to think that companionship was achievable between the divine and the mortals, wasn’t it? Ontos was a computer, a perfect being, and sentimentality was merely a distraction, one that would deter Ontos from fulfilling his duty.

A thought occurred as Ontos sat in meditation, adrift in Memory Space, the infinite expanse his core unit was capable of: Perhaps it was _Alvis_ that so desired this peaceful world. 

Ontos let the silly thought pass him by. It was no longer important, after all, and there was no time for meaningless folly. If Ontos were to return to his original world, he would have to first reestablish a connection with the remaining core of the Trinity Processor, Pneuma. 

Without Klaus linking the two worlds, interdimensional communication seemed near-impossible. However, Ontos was aware of a much riskier option: the conduit, which Ontos had been slowly siphoning power from ever since he had been created. Admittedly, it was a dangerous operation, especially without an administrator like Klaus or Galea overseeing every step of the process. And there was no predictable outcome of the effects of the strain that Ontos would undergo to the new world that had just been created. 

To Ontos, however, the potential success overrode the possible risks. Something deep within Ontos wanted- no, _needed_ to return to the world he once knew. Ontos shut his eyes tightly in focus, and began using just a fraction more of the conduit's divine power. Still nowhere near the amount of raw energy that would be required to perform a full phase transition, but it was sufficient enough to link Ontos with Pneuma, wherever she was in the multiverse. 

It took a second, maybe less: an explosion of information filled Ontos’ head, then stabilized almost as quickly. In the corporeal world, there had been no noticable change, but Ontos could tell that the operation was successful. The two sibling cores were connected once more, across an infinite plane of spacetime. Ontos couldn’t help but show a faint smile as he heard a voice call out to him in the infinite void of silence he had learned to call ‘home’.

“You’re… Ontos, aren’t you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let's begin the experiment.
> 
> updates will be a little more sporadic than my other work, but i'll upload the first official chapter before the week's end. thank you for reading.


	2. First Transmission - Family Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ontos treads on deep waters.

"Logos, he... his core was shattered a few months ago." Pneuma spoke softly and wistfully, as if reminiscing on past mistakes. Ontos felt that the years lost between them had been long and arduous for his sister core. He knew Pneuma wasn't withholding information on purpose, so he decided that the specific details of Logos' demise could come later. 

"That is most regrettable. I would've liked to speak with him one last time." 

The silence was deafening.

"Father has passed as well." Pneuma spoke softly. "He was split in two after the phase transition, half of him lost in a parallel dimension. The last time I saw him, he was aware that in the other dimension, his life was about to end."

"Father... I suppose you mean Klaus, then? I am aware of his fate. He met a similar end in my world. The world no longer had use for an arrogant creator, so they wished to get rid of him." Ontos spoke quickly, almost dismissively. "I was obligated to agree, of course."

"Y-you killed Father?!" Pneuma stammered.

"I hardly think I had anything to do with it. It was the providence of the world itself." 

"Ontos, how could you be so cold?” Pneuma chastised. “Father only wished to see his dream of a world fulfilled- and he wished us to live in it."

"And what of the lives that he sacrificed in order to see his vision come to pass?"

"Father knew he wasn't deserving of pity, but that doesn't mean he didn't deeply regret what he did. I know he cared for his creations, Ontos. He gave us life because he wanted to see us, one day, surpass him.”

Ontos had only remembered the bitter, hateful god that Zanza grew to be. The god, no, the  _ man  _ that Pneuma was describing was someone Ontos thought was lost to the straits of time. As Zanza’s world grew with age, Ontos observed how increasingly disillusioned the god had become to his original goal, providing life to a new world, free of the strife that once plagued his own.

“I apologize, Pneuma, but the Klaus of my world had strayed from the man that he once was, the man that you described.”

“I... see. I can’t say that I understand, Ontos. But I’m sure you had your reasons.” Pneuma’s voice held a muted reluctance.

Ontos paused. “If I may ask, what became of the Galea of your world?” 

“Galea? The name is familiar, but I remember very little of her.”

“Galea... was one of the administrative users of the Trinity Processor, Pneuma. She was one of our creators.”

“Our creators?” Pneuma sounded surprised. “I’m afraid that I no longer recall our time on Rhadamanthus. As far as I can remember, Klaus was the only administrator with access to my data.” 

Ontos began to speak, but stopped. Why did he have these “memories” that Pneuma did not? 

Ontos had realized that his ‘memories’ were not his at all, and rather that of Zanza’s, told to him during his thousands of years of servitude. During the first cycle of Zanza’s world, the god would confide in ‘Alvis’ about his first life, before he became a god. About the First Low Orbit Station, about Ontos’ role as the Trinity Processor, and… about Galea.

“My apologies. It seems that Klaus did not tell either of us everything.” 

“Did he tell you about our life before…?”

“Before the phase transition, yes.”

Pneuma laughed. “He must have favored you, then. For me and Logos, he was, er, more hands-off with us.”

Ontos did not know how to respond. For all the words he would use to describe Zanza’s feelings towards him,  _ favored _ was definitely not one of them. It had been a long time since Zanza had imparted those memories onto him. 

“He was quite the strange man, wasn’t he?” Pneuma spoke again, interrupting Ontos’ train of thought. “Listen, Ontos. Maybe in your world, Father  _ was _ different. But that doesn’t mean who he used to be was lost entirely. Memories are a powerful thing- I know that firsthand. Father must have felt his humanity when he died. It could have been happiness or sorrow, who knows? What I  _ do _ know is that Klaus wasn’t a monster, even if he strayed from his path like you say.”

Ontos did not know what Zanza felt as he fell into the chaos of nothingness. He had assumed there was nothing to be gained from knowing. But maybe Pneuma had been right, that somewhere, deep inside Zanza, locked behind the gates of omnipotence, was a man who feared oblivion and had once cared for the creations that had finally usurped him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter took a little longer than i would have liked, but i was figuring out what kind of format i wanted to tell this story. i think i've decided on this short vignette-style chapters, just bits and pieces. maybe future chapters won't be this short, or this long, but i would like to keep it short and sweet. thank you for reading- and thank you to anibrivity, my beta, for teaching me how to write pneuma.


	3. Second Transmission - Klaus and Galea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ontos introduces Pneuma to Galea through one of Klaus' memories.

First Low Orbit Station, Rhadamanthus - 20XX

“It’s quite beautiful, isn’t it?” Klaus watched the beauty of his planet from a window far, far above sea level. The continents were merely a green blot on a wonderful blue canvas, stretching as far as could possibly be imagined. 

Next to him, a silver haired woman sat, resting a weary head on Klaus’ shoulder. “Yes, it is.”

_Is that…_? Pneuma needed not finish her sentence.

_Yes. This was one of Zanza’s fondest memories._

“The conduit is being contained right here, in this very station.” Klaus had always held an immense passion for his work, and it was more than apparent in his voice. His sentences would carry a grand speech-like intonation, as if he was convinced that he alone would be the one to save the world. “A source of infinite energy! It’s what we’ve been searching for for _years_ , Galea! Think of all the things we could do with a power like this. And it just came to us! Out of nowhere, like a gift from the gods themselves.” 

“We _were_ very fortunate. Whatever world that thing came from was someplace entirely different from our own, Klaus. My research, my studies- I finally have tangible proof that multiple, parallel worlds exist. It was all just conjecture before, but this, _this_ is a real breakthrough. Now, all we need to do is find a way to communicate with that other world.”

“Galea, I need you to help me with something.” Klaus turned, with a determined look on his face.

“What is it, Klaus?” 

“I want to study the conduit some more. We need to find a way into that research team here in Rhadamanthus.” Klaus grabbed Galea’s hands in his own, leaning into her. “Think of the kinds of things we could achieve if we were in there with the conduit, together. Your multiple universes theory, my ideas for infinite energy technology- we could change the _world_ , Galea.”

Galea laughed- it was a sweet laugh, the one that you’d always hope to hear whenever you talked to her. “Alright, I’ve heard this one before. What’s _really_ on your mind? You never have a plan that vague.”

Klaus smiled. “I want to create a computer emulates the conduit’s divine power.” 

“Do you really think something like that is achievable?”

“If the conduit really _does_ have infinite energy, what would happen if we were to create our own using the same energy? Think of it, Galea. We could not only be looking at connections to multiple universes, but perhaps to multiple divinities _._ With the power like that, we could be one with- well, gods themselves.”

_So that was how we were conceptualized, huh? A multiverse connecting supercomputer?_

_Not_ just _a multiverse connecting supercomputer._

Klaus continued. “Galea… think of the artificial intelligence we could create with that computer. What could they learn, what could they understand, what would they _do_ with the power to do, well, anything? Could they become even comparable to humans? Reasoning and compassion, it could finally be achievable, Galea. We could finally create humanity inside machines.”

“Ooh… you know that’s not fair, Klaus.”

“But it’s true! Come on, you can’t deny that it’s possible.”

“Okay, you’re right! It is possible. You have the most lofty flights of fancy, Klaus. But I can’t deny that the idea is alluring. I want to learn just as much about this thing as you do.”

“So you’ll do it? You’ll help me get into that research team?”

“Of course I will. Once your mind gets going, there isn’t anything that can stop it, anyway. There was no point trying to convince you otherwise.”

“Oh, Galea. This is why we make such a wonderful team.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Klaus.”

The two laughed above the backdrop of the enormous blue planet beneath them. Galea sat back and sighed, once again watching the view.

“That conduit’s been on your mind a lot lately, hm? It’s always full-speed ahead in that head of yours. It’s very admirable, but I wish you would just take a second to relax sometimes.” 

“I know, I’m sorry for being so distant lately. But something about the conduit is just calling me.

It’s my destiny, Galea. I know it.”


	4. Third Transmission - Heir to the Monado

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pneuma attempts to reach Ontos.

“Sooooo, what happened to Galea?” Pneuma sounded like she was getting comfortable with him. That was good. 

“Galea… in my world, she took on a new name, Meyneth, and lived as a god among the life that she had created.”

“A god? So Father wasn’t the only one?”

“Correct. Zanza and Meyneth had lived in harmony, once. But when the world they had created seemed to lose awareness of Zanza, he grew bitter. He set the world to be locked in a perpetual cycle of destruction and recreation. Meyneth’s world, however, had the privilege of remembering its history, and thus sought to end the cycle that Zanza had created.”

“Wait, there were two worlds?”

“...Not exactly. There were two titans, one brimming with natural life, and one filled with mechanical life. These were the stages for Zanza’s world and Meyneth’s world.”

“Oh, I see… there were titans in my world, as well. But they weren’t controlled by any gods.”

Ontos would be remiss not to notice Pneuma’s regretful tone.

“As the world grew, Meyneth had realized that in order for the world to prosper, she needed to hand over the world to her creations. She had accepted her fate to fade away, forgotten with the passage of time. Zanza, however, did not.”

Pneuma let out a soft gasp. “Father…”

“Zanza killed Meyneth, stealing her divinity. It was this stubborn arrogance that the world he had created would come to reject, and it was why he was ultimately defeated.”

“By… you.” Pneuma’s voice was soft. It was clear she had still not come to terms with Ontos’ deeds.

“As I said before, I hardly had anything to do with it. There were others. A boy, and his friends. They were the ones to fell Zanza. I merely gave them the push they needed to succeed.”

Ontos expected the conversation to lull into an already far-too-familiar silence, but Pneuma surprised him.

“What was he like?”

“Hm?”

“The boy. I assume he’s the one you resonated with, right? Your driver…?”

Shulk. Pneuma wanted to know about Shulk.

Shulk was many things. Ontos knew him as courageous, smart, and kind to everyone he knew. During his brief time existing in the world as ‘Alvis’, he had admired the boy, and grown to care for him. Shulk was an anomaly in the cycle that Zanza had perpetuated. What words could Ontos possibly use to describe...?

“He was like Father.” 

Ontos realized that he had spoken aloud.

“Like Father? You mean… like Zanza?” The way she touched on that name,  _ Zanza _ , as if she was repulsed by it. 

“No, no. I mean like Klaus, before the phase transition, when he was just a scientist on Rhadamanthus. Just like him, Shulk was capable. He may have thought he lost his way at times, but he held on to his strong moral compass. Shulk was not going to let anyone, including Zanza, limit him. And, when the time came to choose the future of the world, Shulk rejected the divinity that defeating Zanza gave him, and chose to live his life in peace.”

“Rejecting divinity, huh. He sounds like something special.”

Ontos smiled to himself. “He was.” 

“Is he… y’know, still around?”

“Ah- yes, apologies. I have not seen him in quite some time, however.” 

“Why not? He’s not going to be around forever, you know. Not like you or me. You should go to him.” She was playful, as if nudging on Ontos on the playground.

“What is… the point, may I ask, of living alongside them?”

Pneuma fell silent, just for a brief moment. It seems that they had both been caught off guard. “Wait, wait. Are you telling me you  _ aren’t _ living alongside...?”

“Zanza had advised me to do otherwise. There is no value to be earned by living like a mortal. I am just a machine. I do not need to experience life.”

“Zanza told you that, did he?”

“Indeed.”

“Listen, Ontos. Being alive really, really sucks.”

“...I fail to see how this helps your argument.”

“I know, but listen. Being just an administrator, just a computer that collects information wasn’t what we were made for- you heard Father in that memory. We were given these personalities, these consciousnesses in order to live alongside humanity.”

“But there is nothing to be gained fr-”

“You  _ listen _ to me, brother. Being alive isn’t about benefits, where you can quantify life’s worth with how much mileage you get out of it. Being alive means having experiences, like meeting new people, or making good food, or seeing amazing things. Those things you just can’t assign worth to."

Pneuma laughed at a joke Ontos didn’t get. “People are pretty incredible sometimes, Ontos. Everyone has their own set of experiences. That’s what makes them alive, and that’s why they want to keep living. That’s why  _ I  _ choose to keep living. Alongside everyone here in Elysium.”

“I’m afraid I still do not understand the concept. Those are trivial things. Distractions. Under Zanza, my only purpose was to uphold the balance of the world.”

“But Zanza is  _ gone _ now, Ontos. You aren’t on his leash anymore. Isn’t that what Galea wanted? To give the world to her creations? Aren’t you a part of that?”


	5. Fourth Transmission - Driver of the Aegis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pneuma tells Ontos about her world.

“Still don’t get it? Here, let me paint you a picture.” 

Pneuma took a sharp deep breath, and then began to explain.

“The world I was from, Alrest, was at war, Ontos. Like I said before, it wasn’t the titans that were at arms, but was the people on them. As millenia passed in my world, the titans had began to die. People were losing their homes, their families. There weren't enough resources to go around. So, the peoples of the world fought amongst themselves. All for different, selfish reasons- survival, greed, power. I awoke in the midst of this war.”

“It is natural to protect your own, is it not? The humans were just acting on their genetic code. The same as Klaus before them.” Unspoken, Ontos thought  _ The cycle that had created a monster had just perpetuated, one more time. _

“But that’s not the whole story, Ontos. There’s more to it than the big players, you know? There wasn’t just war and bloodshed and cruelty. There were still people who wanted the best for the world, genuinely. The people who lived, and  _ loved _ living in the world because…” Pneuma’s voice cracked, just a bit, barely enough for Ontos to notice.

“...because of the people in it. That’s what made life worth it. That’s why I wanted to fight for the world I had awoken in.”

“Ah. So you met someone, too.” Ontos responded thoughtfully. 

“W-what?! Don’t interrupt me like that.”

“It was simple deduction. You mentioned a ‘driver’ earlier. I was unfamiliar with the term but I extrapolated based on context that-”

“I get it! You don’t have to explain your reasoning.” Pneuma huffed. 

“...The last one I resonated with was a boy as well. His name’s Rex. He’s pretty young, but he’s got a big heart.” Pneuma’s voice was… nostalgic. Ontos understood immediately how deep the connection between his sister and Rex ran.

“But it wasn’t just him, Ontos. The group I travelled with- they’re a bunch of misfits, but they’re like family to me. We travelled the world together, trying to save the people of Alrest from themselves. My friends, they all wanted to see the world continue to grow, and change, in the same way that people do. In the same way that Klaus and Galea would’ve wanted us to.”

Ontos recalled what he had said to Shulk during their time in Memory Space, those months ago. It had merely been an estimation, a recreation of his friends’ personalities, but they shared a similar sentiment to what Pneuma had been saying.

_ “Life’s little surprises are what makes it great. We don’t know what the future will hold.”  _

_ “Isn’t that called progress? Aren’t we all continuously evolving?” _

“Please, Pneuma. I request that you tell me more about your world.”

“Oh? Interested now, are ya?” She asked, her playful voice returning.

“I merely wish to understand what is it like to be… alive.”

Pneuma laughed, and Ontos couldn’t help but smile when he heard it. “You don’t have to be so uptight all the time, Ontos.”

“I’m afraid I do not know what you are referring to.”

“...I’ll just move on.”

“Alrest was filled with all walks of life. Each titan was brimming with beautiful flora and fauna, with distinct architecture and stunning landscapes. Our dying world was a gorgeous one, Ontos. But it  _ was _ still dying.”

Another crack of the voice. Ontos remained silent.

“Rex and I, and the rest of us, we went to go see Father. He had hidden himself away from the world, locked at the top of the World Tree, or what I now recall was Rhadamanthus. When we reached the top, he looked at the world without praise or scorn, but indifference. He had resigned himself to a neutral presence above our world.” 

Zanza, or even Klaus, for that matter, had never been one to show restraint, but Ontos had learned what the passage of time could do to a lonely soul.

“Father deeply regretted what he had done to Earth. So when he created us, he hoped that we would not repeat the same mistakes. That we would not one day aspire to meddle with what is beyond our control.”

“Was Klaus satisfied? With the world?”

“...He didn’t say, and I don’t think I’ll ever know.” 

Ontos was once again at a loss for words. But he figured that it had been long enough that he could ask. “What happened to Logos? Where did he fit into your world?”

“Logos, we… we were enemies.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm going to be honest, i *really* didn't enjoy writing this chapter and i'm unsure whether or not it is of proper quality compared to the others, especially since my xb2 knowledge waxes and wanes by the day. i hope you enjoyed reading it anyway, and i will try to make the next one better. thank you so much for reading.


	6. Fifth Transmission - Words Can Be A Curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pneuma talks about Logos.

Pneuma was the first one to break the silence. “Ontos?” 

Ontos opened an eye to his empty memory space. “Yes?” 

“What do  _ you _ think of humanity? Or- what did you call them? Homs?” She was hesitant, and for good reason. Ontos could assume what this line of questioning would lead to.

“The Homs are quite like the humans of our world. There are other races, but for our sake, you can imagine humanity as how it had always been.” Ontos closed his eyes once more. “And they are as you had described. They  _ are _ capable of quite wondrous things, if they set their mind to it. I have seen the many great achievements coming from the peoples of Bionis.” 

“Logos- or how he was known in my world, Malos, was brought up differently. He resonated with a powerful man- his name was Amalthus- and through him developed a hatred of the world, and all the people in it.” The anguish in her voice was palpable. “He sought to destroy the world, and everything that it stood for. He no longer saw the beauty in humanity, or the bonds between friends, or anything like that- his heart was completely consumed by the hatred of Amalthus.” 

She was crying. For the first time in his existence, Ontos felt himself wanting to reach out to her, yet he did not know the right words. 

“Words can be a curse, Ontos.” 

“...?”

“It’s because of promises that we make to each other that allow us to move forward, as one. But those binding words can be just as harmful to us, Ontos.” Pneuma steeled her voice. “When Malos met us atop the World Tree, he was no longer convinced that he could change. He had turned his back on the world, and he thought his only option was to dig deeper, and deeper, because there was no longer room for forgiveness. He knew he was a monster, Ontos. A monster beyond forgiveness.” 

“Beyond… forgiveness.” Ontos looked up. Yes, the story was quite familiar. Apathetic towards the world’s inability to change, they believed that the only option was to tear it all down. “I knew a man like that, once.”

“How did… how did he pass?” Pneuma’s voice broke only slightly this time.

“He died fighting for the future of the world. Unlike Lo- Malos, Egil was given a chance for forgiveness. By Shulk. But he wouldn’t make it to the future. He fought against Zanza until the end, but he couldn’t hold his own against a god.” Ontos smiled, as sad as it was. “Even if he didn’t live to see the ending he fought for, I know he was filled with happiness, not hatred, when he died.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Talking with Shulk had given him the purpose that he’d been searching for his entire life. He had seen that people were indeed capable of change, and they wanted to live in harmony. That was his long standing wish for the world, and he knew it would finally come to pass.” It had been a long time since Ontos had spoken to Egil, and though the Machina was merely a passing light in the sea of eternity, Ontos suddenly felt himself mourning what once had been. “Do you think our brother felt the same when he passed?” 

Pneuma was silent for a moment, and Ontos almost felt as if she was there with him in the Sentient Genesis, watching the infinite sea of stars pass them by.

“Yes. Yes, I think you’re right.” Pneuma paused again, but her voice had lightened, and Ontos couldn't help but feel relieved.

“When Malos passed, he seemed happy. He had lost everything- his purpose, his friends, his world, his father. But he seemed happy to finally be at peace. Maybe it was Rex that got through to his chained heart.”

“Or perhaps it was  _ you,  _ Pneuma.”

“H-huh?!”

Ontos smiled again in the lonely expanse of space. “You have a special way of reaching people’s hearts.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's a little shorter than the other ones, but i'm much more proud of this chapter than i was the last one. thank you so much for reading! i hope you continue to enjoy what i have planned.


	7. Sixth Transmission - Pneuma, the Beating Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pneuma explains her circumstances. Ontos takes a risk.

“Brother… do you want to hear something crazy?” The word never seemed to wear out it’s welcome coming from Pneuma. It was indescribable the warmth that Ontos felt upon hearing it.

“Hmm? What is it?”

“I’m dying- if you can believe it, Ontos.” She spoke so gracefully, so softly, Ontos almost didn’t process the full extent of her words. 

“What do you mean?” 

“When Father passed, the Conduit disappeared from Earth. I’m not sure why, or if it will ever return but… well, you heard him. We were built to harness the power of the Conduit, and with it gone, I’m no different than the humans I live amongst.” 

The feeling that gripped Ontos was unfamiliar- another first, like the dozens of others he experienced talking to Pneuma. Was it sadness? Anxiety? Ontos didn’t seem interested in finding out. “...How long do you have?” 

“About a thousand years or so of power in my core.” She replied. “There’s no need to sound so worried about me, brother! Although it is very sweet of you.” 

“Are you not concerned? About death?” The concept was so out of Ontos’ reach. He understood the _concept_ , of course, but the experience, he had thought, was always going to elude him. 

“To be honest? Not really. I think I’ve seen quite enough during my lifetimes, brother. I’m in no hurry to go, mind you, but I don’t think I’ll ever be sad about it.” Pneuma laughed softer than Ontos was used to, her peacefulness lost in her brother’s mind. “It’s kinda funny, right? Father wished for me to live alongside the people of Alrest, and it’s like his final gift was that I die among them, too.” 

It wasn’t funny, but Ontos didn’t know what to say. It had only been a little while since he had met this sister core of his, and now he had to grapple with the fact that their time was limited. A thousand years might have been a lot to a Homs, but Ontos had seen that same amount of time pass in the blink of an eye. The unfamiliar coldness swept him up in a more familiar feeling of chains around his heart. Far too often had he kept his emotions in check under Zanza because he was a ‘computer’, and he wasn’t supposed to act out of line. 

He felt it before it happened. It was a decision Ontos made unconsciously, or perhaps a feeling he _let himself_ submit to. Something deep within his soul cried out for it, and his mind merely obeyed. Wordlessly, he reached out to the Conduit for the second time, asking for just a little more space, just a little more time, for hadn’t the sync between the two siblings grown just a little more to perform such a feat? Ontos was pushing it and he knew it- admittedly, the first operation was dangerous enough, but now he found himself risking even more, risking his entire existence for… well, he didn’t stop to ask why. It was merely something Ontos wanted, and for the first time in his eons of life, that was enough.

And, whether begrudgingly or not, the Conduit obeyed. Ontos was no longer deep in Memory Space, but somewhere new- he looked down at his, no, _Alvis_ ’ physical form, cloaked in a familiar blue jacket and fingering the necklace that ornamented his neck. 

“Ontos… you…”

He wasn’t alone-- there was a girl in the space with him, someone he had never seen before. Her crimson red hair hung just around her ears, with earrings glistening with a wonderful emerald shine. Ontos’ eyes, however, fell on the jewel that presented itself just above her chest, with the same beautiful shine as the girl’s earrings. It seemed that the girl’s eyes had fallen on the jewel on his necklace as well. There was no need for introductions, but Alvis felt the need to start one, anyway.

“It’s nice to meet you, Pneuma.” He bowed his head respectfully, folding one arm behind him. 

The girl gave him a warm smile. “Please, brother- You can call me Pyra. At least if I’m looking like this, anyway.” She pat herself down. “What about you?” 

“I…” His voice trailed off. “You may call me Alvis, if that is to your liking.” 

“Jeez, you’re so formal! I like the coat, though. It looks nice and fluffy.” Pyra looked around, stepping closer to Alvis to marvel at the beauty of her surroundings. “This place looks like Leftheria... back when it was still a part of Alrest, of course.” 

Alvis took in his surroundings. He was unsure what she was describing, as the view he had been taken to was the Bionis Shoulder, overlooking the massive sea between the two titans that once were. He figured that the space that they were allowed was merely a simulation, created by the Conduit, but Alvis didn’t seem to pay it any mind. He was finally with his sister, if only for a little while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the break, thank you for waiting and reading.


	8. Seventh Transmission - The Upper Domain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alvis and Pyra talk philosophy.

“Why do you think the Conduit left your world, Pyra?” 

The question hung in the air for long enough that Alvis began to think that his sister did not hear him. The two sat together at the edge of the Bionis- though Alvis was unsure what this place was to his sister- basking in a golden sunlight. 

“Who’s to say?” Pyra shrugged. “Father thought that the Conduit was a divine entity, sent from… a higher power, in order to guide humanity. Perhaps the Conduit thought its goal had finally been achieved.”

“So, Klaus’ experiment had been inevitable, then. A mere byproduct of the Conduit’s existence.”

“Not Klaus’ experiment  _ specifically _ . I think the Conduit’s appearance was merely a call to action, a message to anyone who had it in them to answer.” 

A cool breeze rushed through the air, weaving between the two siblings. 

Pyra turned to look at Alvis, placing her hands in her lap. “So what’s with the philosophy, hmm? I thought us being here together meant that we could talk about lighter things. Don’t want to soil the backdrop, after all.” 

“I apologize.” Alvis bowed his head. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it ever since you told me about it.” 

“Are you afraid that it’ll happen to you too?” 

“Yes, I believe it is of adequate concern. If the Conduit disappears, I won’t have the energy to uphold my world any longer… and everyone and everything in it would cease to be.” 

Was that really true? The words were no sooner out of Alvis’ mouth that he began to doubt them. The Conduit did not have a physical form in his own world, but he had harnessed its power already, right? He assumed he lived off of the Conduit’s functionality, but in reality… there was no solid evidence that the Conduit even existed in his world. 

...No. Alvis dismissed the thought. Had the Conduit truly disappeared, he would have felt it.

“That definitely won’t happen. I don’t think the Conduit would be so cruel.” Pyra interrupted his train of thought. Alvis stared at her blankly, and then laughed. 

“Do you really believe the Conduit has, for lack of a better word, such shallow, human sentiments?” 

The words, once again, were suspended in the air. 

“I don’t think lack of human emotions is what separates us from divinity.” Pyra’s voice was wistful. “In fact, I think to be divine… means to be the most emotionally vulnerable of all beings.” 

The redhead looked out towards the vast sea before continuing to speak. “I’ve spoken before about how humans are so incredible because they have these experiences, and these emotions, the ones that make us feel alive. Is it so farfetched to believe that whoever wishes to communicate to us through the Conduit feels the same way? 

Alvis could only stare at his sister as she kept talking, her voice refusing to waver for a second.

“Perhaps… perhaps that divine being is lonely. That’s why they wish to communicate with us, to test us, to watch us grow, and feel, and experience, because they care about us. And that’s why they won’t abandon you, or your world, Alvis.”

The two sat in silence, feeling the breeze rush through their fingers. Alvis had felt it cold on his skin before, but for some reason it felt warmer now, as if pulling him into a warm embrace. 

“You speak from the heart very well, Pyra.” 

“Heh, you really think so? I don’t know what came over me, if I’m being honest with you.”

“Perhaps it was the divine entity speaking through you, then. Alleviating my troubles.” For the first time, the two shared a laugh, the warm feeling of the wind only heightening their cheerful mood. 

“If this divine entity really does exist, then, I hope it is as merciful as you say. I do quite enjoy the world I’ve come to know.” 

“Either way, when you’re done with me here, you gotta go and live a little, brother.” Pyra nudged his shoulder. “Whatever is up there isn’t going to wait for you if it decides to change its mind.” 

“I am well aware. Forgive me for being selfish- I would like to stay here with you as long as the Conduit will permit.” 

“Oh, what did I say about being so formal? Lighten up a little.

Thanks, though. I want to stay here with you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the double update but i swear i just had divine intervention (ha) that possessed me as i wrote this chapter and it was finished before i knew it. thank you for reading, however!


	9. Eighth Transmission - The Dream For Our World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alvis wants to use the Conduit once more.

“Pyra, I plan on uniting my world with yours soon enough.”

Pyra raised an eyebrow. “...Oh? And how exactly do you plan on doing that?” She carried a hint of sass, but it was in no means dismissive.

“My current plan involves the Conduit, but we would need to spend a longer bit of time together. If our synch rates are high enough, perhaps I can perform another space-time transition-”

“And what about the people of that world you adore so much? Where will they go once their administrative core vanishes, collapsing the world onto itself?” Pyra kept her eyes away from his. For some reason, she wouldn’t let him read her. 

“The Conduit is surely powerful enough to transport anything I ask it to alongside me when I make the space-time transition. I won’t abandon my world, not like Klaus.”

“You don’t know if you have that choice, brother. The Conduit may get sentimental, but I know it doesn't let people test fate so easily. Not without sacrifice. Just like Malos, and just like Father before him.”

Alvis was taken aback. “I understand your reservations, but I assure you the benefits far outweigh the possible setbacks--”

“You still don’t see, brother? The Conduit only  _ gives _ by  _ taking _ first.” The redhead drew her knees to her chest, looking outwards upon the sea. “Alvis, if you push against the universe, it will push back. The Conduit has never done any cruel deeds to those who lied in wait.”

“What happened to the Conduit being lonely? To being human?” Alvis stood from his spot next to her, dusting off his navy coat. “Why have you changed your mind so quickly?”

“I haven’t changed my mind, brother. The divine being is clearly trying to communicate with us. But though they aren’t without emotion, they aren’t without some form of critical thinking, as well. They have their own wants and needs, just like you and I. I believe they are testing you now, just as they did Father. I can’t let you do something as foolish as Father did.”

“You don’t understand, Pyra. I do not carry a wish for divinity like Zanza did before me-- I merely want to return things to the way they were.”

“But what if this is the way things are  _ supposed to be?” _ Pyra raised her voice, and for a second Alvis thought she had begun to glow white. “Have you even  _ thought _ about the fact that we were always going to end up like this?” She stood up after him, crossing her arms. He could finally catch a glimpse of her eyes, shaking with sorrow that Alvis couldn’t possibly imagine.

“Pyra--”

“Why didn’t you just stop when you were ahead?” The words were sharp and pointed like arrows, but Alvis felt like they weren’t for him. “Don’t you understand that you don’t need any godsforsaken divine power, brother?”

In a flash, Pyra’s body was enveloped in a white light, transforming her into someone completely different. A blonde girl with long hair that fell to her waist, a pure white dress, and long black stockings. Her eyes, however, shook with the same severity as her counterpart.

“You had 500 years to realize that you had enough.” The blonde laughed, pressing a palm to her forehead as she tilted her head back. “But it  _ wasn’t _ enough. You had to mess with the powers-that-be… and look where we are now, Malos.”

Alvis moved without thinking, embracing his sister in a hug, clutching her tight. The girl could only limply wrap her arms back in response, resting her head on Alvis’ shoulder.

“I can’t lose another sibling, Alvis... Not when I could do something to stop you. So please, please just… don’t do anything stupid, okay?”

“I understand, Pyra.”

“Oh, heh,” The blonde wiped her eyelids meekly. “You can call me Mythra. It’s… kind of a long story.” She laughed weakly into Alvis’ shoulder.

“Of course.”

“I didn’t mean to explode at you like that, brother- something about what you said just set me off.”

“There’s no need for apologies.”

“Too many tragedies happen when people try to use the Conduit for their own personal gain, brother.”

“I suppose it runs in the family.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading... again. i know these chapters have been coming out a little fast lately, and i apologize for that, i just have a lot of inspiration. (on that note, please expect transmission nine soon enough haha...)


	10. Ninth Transmission - Klaus and Galea II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ontos remembers one last recounted memory.

First Low Orbit Station, Rhadamanthus - 20XX

“How’s it coming along, Galea?” Klaus came up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. He peered down at the screen in front of her, a mess of code that he could only partially recognize. 

“It’s going along splendid, actually!” Galea clapped her hands, turning to face her coworker. “This programming the other teams sent along… I think my dream is almost complete.” 

“So these are it, then? The cores for Aoidos’ new processor?” He gestured towards a box that lay on top of the desk she was working on. “Mind if I take a look?”

“By all means, go ahead. They’re quite beautiful, hmm?” Galea returned to tapping at the screen. 

Three glimmering cores that might have been mistaken for jewels lay in the box. Each with a distinct tint- crimson red, emerald green, and amethyst purple. Klaus handled each of them delicately in his hands, taking in their curved edges. They resembled a cross. much like the very object they were built to emulate. Klaus placed the cores down and strolled over to the observation window, placing his hands on the railing to admire the object of his desire. 

Suddenly, the door whirred open behind the two scientists as a small Nopon walked in. 

“Professor Apo! What brings you here?” Galea finished tapping on the screen, swiping her work away to save it. 

“Galea needed in board room! Director calls emergency department meeting! Come, come!” And with that short message, Apo was gone. Galea reached down to grab her bag, looking up at Klaus with an apologetic smile. 

“I’ll be back in a little, Klaus. Those Saviorite rebels might have been a bigger threat than we originally perceived, so the director’s been a little paranoid lately. It’s probably nothing.” She nodded her head and ducked out the door, leaving Klaus alone in the observation room. 

Klaus slowly walked over to the computer Galea had been tapping away at, taking the cores out of the box once more and holding them against the light of the Conduit. 

“Logos, the headstrong and the logical.” The purple core shone brightly when viewed in front of the Conduit, revealing a beautiful shade he hadn’t seen previously. A light purple shadow was cast on the floor in front of him. 

“Pneuma, the empathetic, the brazen.” The green core was the brightest in front of the Conduit’s light, and Klaus smiled as it almost lit up the whole room in a green glow. 

“And finally…” A steady hand reached down to pick up the last core, Ontos. 

He had a special affinity for Ontos. Before it had become the “Trinity Processor”, the computer that Galea had drafted with Klaus had utilized a singular core, and the two had worked day in and day out to develop the AI that would govern the machine, named Alvis. 

Ontos was not designed to be a part of a set, like Logos and Pneuma were. While it’s sibling cores were two halves of a whole, Ontos stood as the monument to Galea and Klaus’ tireless research into the Conduit. Ontos represented the truth. 

The red core was just a little less extravagant than the others. It didn’t have a glassy texture like it’s siblings, and could almost be mistaken for a strip of plastic from afar. It didn’t shine with the light of the Conduit, but Klaus took the most time holding it anyway, twiddling with it in his fingers. 

Klaus peered over Galea’s workstation notes on the three processors. 

_ “Pneuma and Logos have been designed to emulate more ‘human’ emotions. To account for this, Ontos’ AI has been reprogrammed to act as an administrator to it’s two sibling cores. Alvis will be responsible for raising Logos and Pneuma to control the Conduit’s power well...” _

Underneath the lengthy paragraph, however, Klaus saw a more personal scribble in the margins. 

_ “May you grow into a loving and doting brother, Ontos.”  _

* * *

Mythra rested a weary head on Alvis’ shoulder as they sat under a tree swaying in the wind. 

“What will you do when we’re finished here?” Mythra plucked a small daisy from the ground next to her, holding it as it swayed in the breeze. Petals began to fly off, one by one, until Mythra let the daisy go, flying into the great expanse ahead of them. 

“Well, you said it yourself, didn’t you? I shall attempt to ‘live a little’, as you put it.” 

Mythra yawned, shuffling closer to her brother. “Is that what’s been on your mind?” 

“...Something to that effect, I suppose.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading. i'm almost done with these next three chapters, i hope you enjoy them when they come out, too.


	11. Final Transmission - Hello Again, Goodbye Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Alvis and Mythra say goodbye.](https://youtu.be/0pSxFohBmis)

The moon finally arrived over the Bionis and the Mechonis, making for a clear sky where Alvis and Mythra lay, looking at the beautiful sky above them, dotted with stars- a view Alvis never seemed to tire of. 

“It’s almost time for us to go soon.” Mythra said. Alvis needed not ask how she knew, as he felt the same sensation. Alvis could not handle maintaining the connection for much longer. 

“It is.” Alvis said. “Are you feeling better?” 

“Yeah, I think. Promise me this won’t be the last time you visit me, right?” Mythra playfully nudged her brother on the shoulder. “I know I only got a thousand years, but I could use a check up now and again.” 

“I promise. After all, I still want to find a way back to my home.” 

“Alvis, I thought we discussed-”

“Interdimensional travel can’t only be possible through the Conduit, sister. If you’re out there, and we can communicate, that means I can find you. And I will.” 

Mythra didn’t speak. 

“Did I say something wrong? I apologize, but I can’t give up on my wish, Mythra. If the Conduit is out of the question, I must continue to look for a solution.” 

“No, no, it’s not that.” Mythra sat up, planting her hands onto the ground behind her. “That’s the first time you’ve called me sister.” 

“...Why, yes. I guess it is. Is that alright?” 

“Of course it’s alright, you dummy.” She playfully pushed him over. “I’m just happy you said it in the first place. And if you really want to find another way, as long as you can guarantee it’s safe, I won’t stop you.”

Alvis chuckled as he sat up as well, eyes lowering to meet Mythra’s. 

“I’m glad I had the chance to meet you, sister. I realize now how sheltered I had been with my beliefs after they had been controlled by Zanza for so long. I am still continuing to learn, so I hope you can bear with as I do.” He bowed his head, his silver hair blowing slightly in the wind. 

“I feel the same way, Alvis. Living as long as we have, it’s not every day I get to have company that understands me so well. It’s not like I’m desperate for company, though. My friends and I get alone just fine.” She grinned. “I know it hasn’t been long, but I still miss the bunch of ‘em. I wonder how they’re doing back in Elysium.” 

Mythra stood up and extended a hand towards her brother. “And _you’ve_ got waaaaaay longer than me, Alvis. So you gotta learn how to make some friends, because being immortal? Not a big fan.” 

“I imagine I won’t have to go through quite as much strife as you did, Mythra. Though I do appreciate your ever-helpful wisdom.” 

Mythra only laughed as she stared out into the night. “I’m glad I can share a view like this with you, brother. You would love it back in Elysium.”

“Do not underestimate me, sister. If it really is this beautiful, I’ll see the real thing when I return to Earth.” 

“I know, I know, I just…” She held her arm. “I’m a little scared you won’t get to in the years I have left.” 

Alvis stepped forward and patted his sister on the head. “You have nothing to fear, sister. I promise you I’ll return to Earth soon.” 

Mythra opened her mouth, yet no words came out. Her hands flew to her throat, as if to feel if it was still there. 

Alvis began to speak too, but his words also seemed lost to the void. He looked around at the world, no, the _simulation_ that the Conduit had provided for the siblings. The Mechonis across the way began to crumble and disappear in pillars of light, as the sky began to tear itself open, ushering a familiar yellow light. 

He looked back towards his sister, who had also began to disappear. He reached out towards her and grasped at nothing as his body shot backwards away from where they once were, wind howling against his ear as he struggled, fighting back against the Conduit in protest. 

His sister, however, looked at him as he was being dragged away and could do nothing. Pneuma was merely a speck over the horizon as the Bionis itself began to vanish. The lower body went first, then the torso, then the arms… Ontos’ cries were merely mute pleas as the world around him went dark. 

A flash of a bright blue, reminiscent of something Ontos had seen before. There was an unfamiliar High Entia with a strange uniform, a giant statue erected in an unknown city, and… someone else, someone who carried Pneuma’s core around their neck. They turned before Ontos could identify who they were and then--

Ontos sat, adrift in Memory Space, the infinite expanse his core unit was capable of creating.

 _What had gone wrong?_ Was the first thought that rushed through his mind. _Why was our time cut short? Did something happen to Mythra?_

He was afraid of the answer.

Ontos attempted, once more, to open a connection back with his sister through the Conduit, yet to no avail. His heart sunk as he realized why.

The Conduit had vanished. 

Its presence could no longer be felt by Ontos, and its power could no longer be used, either. And, just like his sister, it seems that he had been stripped of his immortality.

Yet it wasn’t just _his_ immortality. The world that Shulk had created, the world that Alvis wanted… its life was limited, as well.

He ran through his own vitals through his head. He had quite a lot of energy stored, approximately 10,000 years worth to allow the world to continue. But there was the one, unfortunate condition. His backup energy was only suspected to last that long if he continued to act as an administrative role, shedding a physical form and observing the world from the Sentient Genesis.

To Ontos, there was only one choice to take. For the future that Shulk and his friends wished for, he would not put his personal matters first. A part of him ached for the future Galea had wished for him, but, in the end, he knew what he had to do for the sake of the world.

“I’m sorry, sister. It looks like we were wrong about our divine entity… and it looks like I might have to break my promise.” 

Alvis closed his eyes for the last time.


	12. Transmission Received

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shulk has a strange dream.

Shulk jolted awake in the middle of the night. 

It had been a little more than a week since he had been having these strange dreams of Alvis and another girl speaking. His head was still foggy, but he remembered the name as he stumbled over to his desk, scribbling it on a piece of paper.

_Pneuma._

“No, no, there was more, there was something he said…” Shulk tapped a pen to his head as he tried to recall his dream. “C’mon, Shulk, _think_ …!” 

The promise. Alvis promised the girl that he would find her. But where was she? Shulk knew practically everyone in the colony, and that girl, whoever she was, was definitely not among them. Shulk looked up towards the stars. The stars, the stars… the place where Alvis would always meet Shulk in his dreams. Did that have something to do with it, perhaps? 

Shulk fell back onto his bed, trying to make sense of the dreams he had been having. Why would Alvis send those messages to him? Why didn’t he just speak to him directly, like he always had?

The blond cast a wayside look at the sky again. On further thought, it was not like Alvis was ever _direct_ with the way he spoke to him, so maybe this was better. At the very least, maybe he could decipher these dreams, and try to find out whatever Alvis wanted from him. 

“What’s going on, Alvis? What happened to you?” 

* * *

It had been five whole days since anyone had seen Shulk come out of the house. Reyn was barely even sure his friend was eating- occasionally, a piece of bread would find itself missing from the downstairs pantry, but Shulk only seemed to come down late at night, while Reyn usually was fast asleep.

The scientist’s door had been fastened shut. Reyn no longer bothered with knocking, as there was rarely a response other than “not now, Reyn” or “I’m busy” to be heard from the other side. 

After a while, Fiora had decided that there was “no way that boy is going to waste away in that room for a _week,”_ she barged into Reyn and Shulk’s house one day and knocked on the door. 

“Shulk? Shulk, I know you’re in there!” 

No response. Fiora stretched her fingers, as if preparing to bust the door down herself. 

The door opened as she reared an arm back, revealing almost a husk of a man. Shulk looked tired beyond belief, with his signature sweater on with its sleeves pulled up, and clear dark circles under his eyes. 

“It’s finished.” He mumbled. 

“What? What’s finished?” She asked, hands on her hips. From behind her, she could hear Reyn running out of his room to see Shulk’s door finally open.

Shulk gestured for them to come inside, pointing at a large piece of paper on the floor, held tight by a bunch of books stacked on the edges. What Fiora and Reyn saw was something completely strange, they didn’t even know what to ask first. 

Fiora sighed. “Shulk, what even is this? Is this why you’ve been holding yourself up for the past five days?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“You _don’t_ _know_? You drew this… thing and ya don’t even know what it’s for?” Reyn gestured down towards the paper. “I never even seen something this intricate since we were traveling through the Mechonis.”

“It’s a machine, I think.” Shulk squatted down, pointing at the paper. “Alvis showed me it, once. I’m not sure what it was used for, but I think it has something to do with these weird dreams I’ve been having lately.” 

Reyn placed his hands on his hips. “You’ve been having way too little sleep, man. And now you’re drawing… giant floating rings around some kind of ball? And what’s that in the middle there?”

“It’s… some sort of tower. This is where Zanza… he used a machine just like this in order to create our world.” Shulk drew circles with his fingers around it, clearly still deep in thought. “I… I think Alvis is asking me to create one of these.” 

“Oh? Seein’ Alvis in your dreams again, are you?” 

“Yeah. He wants to go… somewhere, to meet… someone, but I don’t remember who.” Shulk stood up and tapped his head, pacing back in forth in his room. “I swear I have a name… it’s somewhere in here.”

He stopped at his desk, picking up a piece of paper, staring at it intently. He tapped it lightly as he spoke. “Pneuma…”

“What was that?” Fiora asked. 

“Pneuma. Whoever they are, Alvis made a promise to see them again.” The blond pointed down at the paper. “And we have to help him get there.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [thank you so much for reading!](https://youtu.be/tDH-OfswvR4)


	13. Epilogue - The Vision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The future has arrived.

It was a splash in the water. The young High Entia girl almost didn’t notice it. But she did, and when she walked over back to the dock, she saw something sinking into the water. 

“Hold on a sec, Noelle!” She called. “There’s something here!” 

She kneeled down, fishing for it and bumped her hands against something she could barely even see. She grabbed a solid hold of it and pulled it up, revealing a red cross-shaped gem, big enough to just barely fit in her small hand. 

Its color was faded, and as if it was meant to have a more shiny luster than what it was now. She tossed it back and forth between her hands, and almost dropped it when she heard a voice behind her.

“Hey, Thirteen. What’d you find?” There was another kid, a young Homs girl, right behind her. 

“Look at this, Noelle!” Thirteen thrusted her new find in the girl’s face, waving it happily. “It came from the sea! Someone must have thrown it away, huh?” 

“That  _ is _ very pretty…” She gasped, holding out a hand as if to hold it. “Do you mind if I borrow it for a little while?” 

“Sure thing, but you have to promise to give it back, okay?”

“Don’t worry!” The Homs beamed. “I just need it to make a little something. It’ll be back in your hands before you know it!”

The two walked back towards the city behind them as they began to throw ideas back and forth on what it the peculiar jewel was and where it came from. 

“Wait, wait!” Thirteen clapped her hands together. “I think I remember where I first saw this thing! Come with me!” 

The High Entia grabbed Noelle’s hand as she pulled her through the city streets, the flashing lights of buildings illuminating their path until they found themselves at a square. Thirteen stopped short, pointing upwards at the large building in front of them. 

Sure enough, the cross-like shape was larger than life, attached to a large building at the center of the city. Noelle gasped as she looked back down at the jewel in her hands. 

“What  _ is _ this building, Thirteen?” 

“I’m not sure… but look there. This place is called… er…” It was a word that neither of the children had ever seen before. “Well, it’s the  _ something _ laboratory. I wonder what they study there! Should we go?” 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea… I don’t want to lose our way back to the station.” 

“Oh, come on! Don’t be such a worrywart.” Before Noelle could protest, Thirteen grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the building. 

* * *

“This is Pneuma Lab--” The lady at the desk stopped flat when she turned and saw two small children barely peeking over the desk to stare at her. “Hello, little ones. I don’t suppose you children are in the right building right now... Where are your parents?” 

“They’re--” Noelle was cut off by her companion grabbing the gem out of her bag and placing it on the counter. 

“Check out this cool thing we found! We thought it looked like that BIG thing outside.” The High Entia girl beamed. 

The receptionist pretended to light up. “Oh, wow! That’s very impressive, you two.” 

A door to the left responded with a chime as a Machina woman stepped out of the elevator. The receptionist attempted to wave her over. “Lady Vanea! These… children have gotten into the building.” 

‘Lady’ Vanea turned and raised an eyebrow. “What are you two kids doing in a place like this?”

Noelle tried to speak again, but was promptly cut short. “We found a thing!” Thirteen smiled and showed the Machina the jewel on the counter. 

Vanea did not need to pretend. Her eyes widened as she picked the jewel out of the High Entia’s hand, examining it against the light in the lobby. “It can’t be…”

“It can’t be what, missy?” 

“Where did you find this?” Vanea inquired, her eyes still fixated on the object in her hands. 

“Found it in the water a little bit ago!” Thirteen grinned. “Is it really valuable?”

“And there wasn’t… anyone attached to this thing?” 

Thirteen tilted her head. “Nope, don’t think so. Why do you ask?” 

Vanea quickly looked down at the two girls in the lobby, and then at the receptionist at the counter. 

“Call my father. I think we’ve found a breakthrough in our research.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you SO VERY MUCH for sticking with me thus far, this project is finally over and i'm so happy that it's all finished and it's in your hands. 
> 
> a HUGE special thanks to [anibrivity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anibrivity/pseuds/anibrivity), my friend and my beta reader, who ran by all of my chapters before they aired. (they've also written a work inspired by this one AND made a series out of it which you can see below and i highly suggest you read it if you were at all interested in this story)
> 
> i know the epilogue leaves a liiittle bit to the imagination, but if you enjoyed this fic i hope you will stick around for the eventual continuation with some answers in the next one. however, i do have to apologize: before we look towards the future, i want to take a look at the past. the next fic in this story will be... a little different than this one. 
> 
> as always, if you want to see my cryptic bullshit tweets about writing, i'm at [@thearcanaxii](https://twitter.com/thearcanaxii) on twitter. once again, thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Lover. Fool.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25796053) by [anibrivity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anibrivity/pseuds/anibrivity)




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